The undersigned organizations,
representing cancer patients, providers, and researchers, lend their strong
support to the efforts of Congress and the President to respond swiftly
and comprehensively to the tragic events of September 11. We understand
that the Congressional agenda must be reordered and that action on a number
of important issues may be postponed.

We applaud the intention
of Congress to complete in timely fashion its work on FY 2002 appropriations
measures. In the past, we have contacted you to express our enthusiastic
support for the five-year initiative to double the budget of the National
Institutes of Health (NIH). Substantial increases in NIH funding will
be necessary in both FY 2002 and FY 2003 to accomplish this worthy goal,
and we encourage Congress to approve a boost in funding for 2002 that
will sustain progress toward doubling the budget.

We recognize and appreciate
that Congress currently faces many competing spending priorities. However,
this is a time of particular promise in cancer research, as our knowledge
of the molecular defects that cause cancer is improving dramatically.
It is also an era of healthy collaboration between the private and public
sectors to translate basic science findings into cancer treatments, including
several that are more effective than traditional cancer therapies without
their side effects. Progress in the fight against cancer will depend on
a sustained effort from the federal government to train researchers, support
investigator-initiated research, and facilitate the translation of basic
research knowledge into medical treatments. The federal investment in
cancer research has paid rich dividends in terms of development of more
effective and less toxic cancer treatments, but much work remains to be
done.

We applaud your steadfast
support of NIH. As you turn your attention to the FY 2002 appropriations
bill, we would also like to remind you of the significant research challenges
still facing us. A substantial increase in NIH funding -- of the magnitude
necessary to remain on course to double the budget -- would be used wisely
and productively by researchers and has the potential to make an important
difference in the lives of individuals with cancer. On behalf of those
with cancer and their caregivers, we urge you to continue progress toward
doubling the NIH budget.